Type-writing machine.



L. D BflOUGHTON. WPBWRITING MACHINE- APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13. 1916-.

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LUBROUGHTON'.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUN-Z13, I916.

Patented Ma. 11, 19W.

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lhYllllEAN.D. BROUGHTOTT, 0F NJEWINGTON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T0DERWUQD TYPEWBTTJEE COMPANY, 015' NEW YORK, N. Y A CORJPGBATTON 0FJDELA'WE.

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To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, LYMAN D. Bno'oen- TON, a' citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in Newington, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Ty e-Writing Machines, of which the'follow'ing is a specification.

This invention relates to means for holding work upon the platen of atypewriting machine, particularly a rotary platen; certain features ofthe invention especially platen that is shiftable to different casepositions. More specifically the invention relatesto a machine havingwork-holding devicesfwhich may comprise rolls arranged perpendiculartothe platen, caused to bear against the platen at the printing line, andto roll thereon as the carriage, moves in letter-feeding direction.

A feature of the invention relates to the improved means for causingpressure of the work-holding rolls against the platen and enablin thepressure to be readily removed. I

When the machine is used with wide sheets of paper, or sheets ofordinary width it may not be desired to have the work-holding rolls bearagainst the work, especially in case carbon copies are being made,because the pressure of the rolls would be apt to produce a smudging ofthe carbon copies.

n practising this feature of the invention, each of the work-holdingrolls, which may be located on opposite sides of the printing point, maybe mounted to rotate on an arbor or spindle which, in turn, 1s mountedto swing on a rock shaft to carry the rolls to and from the platen. Eachroll is held against the platen by a fiat spring, which may be securedto a bracket on which said rock shaft is mounted. The spring is nor- Imally arranged to hold the roll against the platen, but movable to aninoperative position by rocking the rock shaft by means of a handleprojecting therefrom, thereby specification of Letters Patent.'atelnitrefl Dee. ill, T'lllll'l't Application flied June 1%, 1M6.Serial No. 103,380.

theplaten is in upper-case position, should accidentally depress awork-holding roll while the platen still, remains in upper-caseposition. An attempt to lower the platen while the roll is in suchdepressed position, might cause the upper end of the roll to dig intothe platen, and act as a pawl or holding 'means to hold the platen inits upper-case position. To overcome this difliculty, the

might otherwise occur if the operative, when upper ends of the rolls maybe flared or enlfiged and shaped to prevent them from thus digging intoor gripping the platen or the work thereon.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, I

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of aportion of an Underwoodtypewriting machine with the present invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation, showing the work-holding rolls and theirrelation to the platen whilethe latter is in upper-case position. f

Fig. 3 is a View, showing a work-holding several parts beindisconnected.

roll, a scale plate and associated parts, the v Fig. 4 is a sectionalelevation of one of the work holding rolls, the parts being in theirnormal lower-case operative position.

Fig. 5 is a similar view, butwith the roll and platen in upper-caseposition.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of one of the rolls, and also showing in sectionthe rock shaft in position to hold'the spring off the roll.

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of the machine, various parts beingomitted.

The revoluble platen l0 is rotatably mounted in a platen frame 11, shiftable to upper and lower case positions on the carriage 12, which runs onfront and rear guide rails 13 and 14. Type-bars 15 are pivoted on afulcrum 16 on a stationary type-bar segment 17, to swing upwardly andrearwardly to the front face of the platen, to

keys 24: and 25, fulcrumed on the rod 22 and having upstanding arms 26to actuate the platen-shifting frame '27 comprising a rock shaft 28. Theshift frame 27 also co'mprises a shaft rail 29, on which runs a roll 30on the platen frame. When a shift key is depressed, the connected arm 26thereof swings the shift frame 27 about 28 as an axis, thereby causingtherail 29 to lift the platen into position for the upper-case types 18to print thereon.

The carriage may be driven in letter-feed direction by the usual springdrum (not shown), the letter-feed movements being controlled byescapement mechanism comprising an escapement Wheel 31 driven by anescapement pinion 32 which runs on a rack 33 on the carriage. Therotation of the escapement wheel is controlled by escapement dogs 34 ona dog rocker, pivoted at 35 and actuated by a universal bar 36, which ismoved rearwardly at each type stroke by a heel 37 on the actuatedtype-bar.

The platen may be rotated to line-space the work by means of aline-spacing mechanism (Fig. 1) comprising a linespacing lever 38operable to move rearwardly a slide bar 39, on which is mounted a pawll0, to drive a line-space ratchet wheel 41 on the platen axle, andthereby rotate the platen; The platen may also be rotated in eitherdirection by the usual hand wheels 42, secured to the ends of the platenaxle. Work-sheets may be introduced to the machine by placing them onthe paper shelf 4:3 behind the platen and then rotating the later toadvance the sheets around the underside of the platen between the sameand the rear and front feed rolls 44 and 45, respectively, and upwardlypast the printing line a-b.

The mechanism above described may be the same as that common to thecommercial Underwood machine.

For holding cards, envelops, or other work-pieces, there are employedrolls 4:6 in

front of the platen adjacent the printing point and held against thework-piece by spring pressure, so that the work is held closely againstthe platen at the printing point. 'These rolls 46 may be located onopposite sides of the usual center type guide 47, the latter beingmounted on the type-bar segment 17. The rolls bear upon the visible sideof the platen at or adjacent to the printing line, with their axesperpendicularto the platen axis. I

These rolls or card holders may be located between the inner ends of thescale plates or wings 48, the upper edges 49 of which bear line on theplaten when the latter is in lowercase position and serve as gages toindicate the position of the printing line on the worksheet, said wingsalso having the usual scale markings at letter-space intervals along theindicating edges 49. The wings are mounted to swing on pivot rods 50toward and from the platen and are normally held with their edges 49bearing against the platen or workpiece by means of coil springs 51.

The rolls &6 are rotatably mounted on spindles or arbors 56, each ofwhich forms part of a swinging frame 57 mounted to rock on one of therods 50, to permit the rolls 46 to swing to and from the platen. Therods 50 constitute rock shafts mounted to rock in brackets 52, for apurpose which will presently appear, the brackets 52 being mounted onthe type-bar segment 17. Each of the swinging frames 57 is bifurcatedto.

to a bracket 52, extend upwardly past the rock shafts 50 and hear attheir upper ends against the 'front faces of the frames 57, therebyholding the rolls 46 against the platen. Each rock shaft 50 has acut-away portion 60' to accommodate the spring 59 and forming flatsurfaces 61 and 63. When the rock shaft is in the Fig. 1 position, theflat 61 faces the spring, and preferably clears the spring, so that thelatter may press the roll against the platen. Each rock shaft 50 isprovided with a forwardly-projecting handle 62, which may be swungdownwardly to rock the shaft 50 to the Fig. 6 position, and cause theflat or cam 63 thereon to engage the spring 59 and swing it forward outof contact with the roll-carrying frame 57. The pressure of the rollagainst the platen is thus removed, permitting the roll to swing freelyaway from the platen through a limited distance, as may be desirable inmanifolding or other work inwhich it is preferred not to use said rolls.Thus, as indicated, in Fig. 6, any desired number of work-sheets 78 andinterposed carbon sheets 79 may be placed on the platen without thepressureof the spring being a'p lied thereto.

11 order that the card-holding rolls 46 may move freely over thework-piece when the carriage moves in letter-feed direction,

or in the ,opposite direction, without proea er;

lindrical sleeve or roll 46 and the spindle or arm 56. Thebearing ballsare held in a cage or spacer 67, which surrounds the spindle or stem.56, and is permitted a limited up-and-down movement relative to boththe roll and its spindle as said roll moves up and down. The parts areshown in Fig. 4 in their normal lower-case position, in which the roll46 is at its lowest position determined by the inturned flange 68 at thelower end of the roll bearing against the frame 57 at the base of thespindle 56. To limit the downward'movement of the cage 67 the spindle 56is provided with a shoulder 69 on which said cage rests. As the platenis shifted from the lower-case to upper-case position (Fig. 5), the roll46 moves upwardly on the spindle -56, rolling on the bearing balls,which also roll upwardly on said stem to the Fig. 5 position. A screw 70threaded into the upper hollow end of the stem 56 limits the upwardmovement of the cage 67, which, in turn, provides a stop to limit theupward movementof the roll 46.

The card-holding rolls 46 comprise the roll portions which run upon theplaten, and the ball-containing barrel portions, these portions beingseparated by the line 46, Fig. 4. The barrel portions extend downwardlya considerable distance below the printing line and are tangent to theplaten, and thereby may provide guides for the leading edge of awork-piece as said edge is advanced beyond the front platen feed roll45, so that the Work-piece is guided to the platen at the printing lineand gripped between the platen and the upright rolls 46. The work-pieceis guided and supported above the printing line by rolls 71, arranged tooverlie the side margins of the Workpiece and hold it against theplaten. Said rolls 71 may be carried by spring fingers 72 pivotallymounted on a tie rod 73 of the platen frame, said spring fingers beingnormally held in operative position by springpressed detent rolls 74,which engage in a groove in the rod 7 3. This construction permits saidfingers, with the rolls 71, to be swung rearwardly away from the platen,and also permits said rolls to be shifted V lengthwise of the platen toadjust them to a work-piece of any width or at any position lengthwiseof the platen.

The rolls 46 hold the card or other workpiece firmly against the platenat the. printing point, and as they roll on the platen was withoutsubstantial friction or drag, they have no tendency to displace thework, but,

on the contrary, hold it firmly to the platen,

and thus prevent any displacement or shifting of the work over theplaten surface. The rolls are effective to holdthe work not only duringthe travel of the platen lengthwise, but also during its case-shiftingmovements.

An important function of the rolls 46 is to hold the card or work-piecesecurely while being written upon close to its bottom mar- 75 gin,particularly where said writing involves case-shifting movements of theplaten, and to hold the work firmly against the platen at the printingpoint when the bottom edge of the work-piece temporarily overlies a wing48, as may sometimes occur. Thus, for example, as shown in Fig. 2, thecard 75 has been carried upward, so that its bottom edge is very closeto the printing line. This view shows the platen in upper-case positionand the rolls 46 moved upwardly with the platen and work-piece. If nowthe platen is dropped to lower-case position, the lower edge of the card75 may engage over the outer surface of the wings 48, because the edges49 bear directly on the platen. The rolls 46 being between the innerupright edges 7 6 of said wings and the printing center, are effectiveto hold the card firmly against the platen at the printing point,notwithstanding the fact that the card beyond said rolls may be heldoutwardly a slight distance by the wings. When the platen is movedlengthwise, to carry either side edge of the workpiece toward theprinting center, so as to pass beyond the underlying wing 48, said edgewill be pressed against the platen by the adjacent roll, and the cardwill, when the platen is moved in the reverse direction, be guidedbeneath said wing.

When the platen is rotated by the linespacing mechanism, the work-piece75, being held against the platen, is carried therewith for linespa'cing it in the usual manner, but the position of the rolls 46remains 1111 changed. That is to say, during the linespacing operation,the work-piece is shifted relatively to the rolls 46, so that therolls'are positioned to bear on the work at the new printing line.

Although the feed rolls 46 normally move up and down with the platenduring the case-shifting movements, yet said rolls may at times beaccidentally moved downwardly by the operative while the platen is stillin upper-case position. In such event, the upper edge of the roll wouldbe in such position relative to the platen that it might catch thereonor dig into the platen when .an attempt was made to lower the platenunless 125 some provision was made-to prevent such interference. .Toavoid this objection, the upper end of each roll 46 is flared orprovided with an annular enlargement or ring 77, the platen-engagingsurface of which is 130 preferably rounded. With such construction, theroll is prevented from accidentally catching the platen or work-piece.

Variations may be resorted to within the e scope of the invention, andportions of the improvements may be used without others.

' Having thus described my invention, I claim: p

1. In a typewriting' machine, the combina- 11) tion witha rotary platen,of a work-hold ing roll extending transversely of the platen andarranged to bear thereon along the printing line, said roll and platenrelatively shiftable in a direction transverse to the i platen axis,said roll having an annular enlargement providing means to prevent theroll from catching on the platen during said relative shifting of theroll and platen.

2. In atypewriting machine, the combination with a rotary platen, of awork-holdin roll arranged to bear against the platen, anfii a spindle onwhich said roll is mounted, the platen being shiftable to upper andlower-case positions, said. roll shlftable on its spindle to move withthe platen, and also shiftable downwardly on its spindle when the platenis in upper-case position, said roll having at its upper end anenlargement formed to prevent said end of the roll from catching theplaten (at a shifting movement thereof or hindering a free relativeupanddown movement of the platen and roll.

3. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a roller platen, of awork-holding roll extending transversely of the platen,

a support on which said roll is mounted to swing toward and from theplaten, a fiat spring arranged to hold the roll against the platen, arock shaft, and means thereon to to engage said spring when the shaft isrocked to one position'and hold the spring in position to remove thepressure of said roll.

from the platen;

4. In a typewrlting machine; the combia5 nation with a roller platen, ofa work-holding roll extending transversely of the platen,

a support on which said roll is mounted to so of the platen, a swingingframe comprising a spindle on which said roll is mounted to rotate, arock shaft on which said frame is mounted to swin toward and from theplaten for moving t e roll to and from the at platen, a spring bearingagainst the swinging frame to hold the roll against the platen, means torock said shaft, and a cam on said rock shaft to lift the spring andremove the pressure of said roll from the platen when the shaft isbrought to one position.

6. he typewriting machine, the combination with a rotary platen, of awork-holding and feeding roll extending transversely of the platen, aswinging frame comprising a spindle on which said roll is mounted 76 torotate, a rock shaft on which said frame is mounted to swing toward andfrom the platen for moving the roll to and from the platen, a support onwhich said rock shaft is mounted, a flat spring secured to said sup- 80port and extending therefrom past the rock shaft and engaging theswinging frame to hold the roll with a yielding pressure againsttheplaten, means to rock said shaft, and a cam on said rock shaft to movethe spring out of roll-holding position.

7 In a typewriting machine, the combination with a roller platen, of awork-holding roll extending transversely of the platen and arranged tobear against the platen, a swinging frame comprising a spindle on whichthe roll is mounted to rotate, a stationary support, a rock shaftjournaled therein and extending parallel with the platen, said swingingframe mounted to to swing on said shaft to move the roll to and from theplaten, a flat spring secured to said support and extending therefromacross the rock shaft and bearing against said swinging frame to holdthe roll with a yielding pressure against the platen, said rock shafthaving a cut-away portion through which the spring extends and providinga clearance between the spring and rock shaft when the latter is in oneposition, and a fiat to bear against said spring and hold it freefromsaid swinging frame when the rock shaft is in another position,thereby taking the pressure of said rolllofi' from the platen andpermitting the roll to swing freely away from the platen.

8. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a rotary platen, of astationary support, shafts mounte on said support. scale plates mountedonsaid shafts and having edges to bear againstthe platen adjacent theprinting line at each side of the printing point, work-holding rollsextending across the platen and arranged to bear thereagainst at theprinting line, said rolls mounted to swing about said shaft as axes toand from the platen, springs to hold the rolls against the platen, meansto move said shafts, and means on said shafts, operated by said movementthereof, to remove the pressure from said rolls.

9. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a rotary platen, of asu port, a shaft mounted on said support para lel with the platen, ascale plate mounted to swing 130 on said shaft and having an edgeextending along the platen at or adjacent the printing 7 line, awork-feeding roll, a spindle carryalong the platen at or adjacent theprinting line, a work-feeding roll, a spindle carrying said roll andmounted to swing on said shaft to move the roll toward and from theplaten, a spring to hold said roll against the platen, means to rocksaid shaft, and a cam 'on said shaft operable when the latter is rockedto repress the spring and thereby remove the pressure of said roll fromthe platen.

' LYMAN n. BROUGHTON.

Witnesses:

W. M. KYOCKMAN, FRANK A. COOK.

